The Female Marauder
by Lady of Quidditch
Summary: What if Peter had not been a Marauder, and instead the fourth Marauder was a girl? Not just any girl - Severus Snape's best friend! NOTE: Been changed to Angst for the last two chapters. Yes, I am FINALLY finished!!!!
1. Meetings and Friendships

THE FEMALE MARAUDER  
By: Lady Marauder  
  
AUTHORS'S NOTE: Decided to do a 'twist' on history a bit, and wanted there to be a girl Marauder, for fun :D Flames will be cheerfully ignored. More will be written when/if people critique!  
  
DISCLAIMER: James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Rubeus Hagrid and all other Harry Potter Characters belong to J.K. Rowling. Jessica Ramon is my own creation and mine alone to use. I am making no money off this and am a poor college student, so suing me will probably put you in the hole.  
  
Now, on with the show!!!  
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"James, Sirius, Remus, can I talk te ya for a s'cend?" Hagrid stopped the first year boys after their last dinner at Hogwarts. 'Ye, see," he said, almost shyly, "Me goddaughter has been accepted fer next term and I want her te have some friends."  
  
James smiled at the Gamekeeper. "Of course."  
  
"Is she cute?" Sirius asked. Remus cuffed him.  
  
"You don't ask that!" the young man said, shocked.  
  
In the back a young man overheard them talking...  
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September first. A nervous Jess kissed her mother and father good-bye. "Say hello to your godfather for me, Jessie," Nerine called after her daughter.  
  
Jessss sat alone on the train, and popped out one of her textbooks. If she was not going to have anyone to talk to, she might as well read.  
  
There was a slight tap on the door, and a young man walked in, tall, with black hair and dark blue eyes, that would one day turn black under the powers of Voldemort. "Mind if I sit here?"  
  
Jess stammered a "no" and put down her book.  
  
"I'm Severus Snape, second year Slytherin."  
  
"Jessica Hagrid-Ramon."  
  
"Hagrid? As is Rubeus Hagrid?"  
  
"Yes, he...he is my godfather. My mother and father both attended Howarts and were sort of both outcasts. Hagrid was their friend before the two of them became friends and married. They wanted to name me after him if I was a boy, but as a girl, his last name became my middle. Jess felt a blush rise to her cheeks as Severus's dark eyes burned into her.  
  
"A good man, Hagrid. Can tell he misses you. He is one to baby the students," Severus replied, but no malice, just longing was present in his voice.  
  
"Do you see him a lot, Severus?" Jess asked.  
  
"Often. I go down to his cabin to...talk sometimes." Now he blushed. "And call me Sev, but only my friends can - if you want to be my friend?"  
  
Kass felt her face turn red again. "Call me Jess, if we are to be friends."  
=======================================================================  
Remus, Sirius and James spent their trip playing Exploding Snap and eating Chocolate frogs when Remus smacked himself on the forehead. "You guys, we forgot about Hagrid's goddaughter."  
  
"Aw, crap, you're right!" James replied, almost knocking over his pumpkin juice.  
  
The train pulled up to the station as three very embarrassed boys got out.  
  
"Firs' years, firs' years, over here," Hagrid called. They watched as a young girl approached him and hugged him, and as Hagrid planted a kiss on her cheek. Then they noticed who was with her.  
  
"Oh no!" Sirius groaned, pointing. James noticed too.  
  
"Oh, Hagrid is going to kill us, and Snape is never going to let us live it down."  
  
Severus approached them, grinning. "Guess we know who is the responsible one. Young Jess and I are to be the best of friends." His pale skin obtained a bit of color. "Hope she is a fellow Slytherin, so I can protect her from jerks like you." He sauntered away.  
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"Hagrid-Ramon, Jessica!" Professor McGonagall read from her list. The mutterings around the room grew louder. Hagrid sat, twisting his coat in his hands, as his only child sat under the Sorting Hat.  
  
"Ah yes, Miss Hagrid-Ramon," the hat whispered in her ear. "I feel the want to show that the Hagrid name does not mean disgrace. Ah yes, and this young man...a Slytherin, you wish to join him. But opposites attract you know and I shall put you in..."  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat yelled for the room to hear. Hagrid broke down in tears, pounding the table, as Jess walked slowly to her Housemates.  
  
"Here's our chance to redeem ourselves," Remus hissed. He scootched over, to leave room between himself and Sirius for Jess to sit. "Sit here."  
  
Kass smiled uneasily at the three VERY handsome boys surrounding her. "I'm Remus Lupin," the fair-haired boy who had asked her over said. "The one with the glasses is James Potter, our new seeker. The annoying flirt on your left is Sirius Black. Don't mind him, he is a bit of a pervert."  
  
"Hey!" Sirius grinned, and patted Jess's arm. "He is just jealous that I am exceedingly handsome."  
  
"You wish. Everyone knows blondes have more fun," Remus grabbed Sirius from behind and yanked him onto the floor, Sirius taking Remus with him. James laughed.  
  
"Ignore those two. You like Quidditch?"  
  
"Ne...never played," Jess stammered. "Watched though. I spent a lot of time in America, playing football and baseball. I like baseball, it is a lot like what those Beaters are doing."  
  
"Maybe next year you can be a Beater. One of ours graduates this year. Not a lot of girl Beaters," the boy in the glasses teased.  
  
Jess bristled. "So?"  
  
James laughed, then looked to the floor where his two friends were attempting to kill each other. "I mean, you will trick the competition!"  
=======================================================================  
Dinner passed, and as Jess left the dining hall, someone caught her arm. "Hey," Sev said. "Looks like you're a Gryffindor."  
  
"Yeah," Jess said nervously. "We...we are still friends, right?"  
  
"Of course. We'll find time. I'll tell you the Slytherin password so you can come visit, and I'll make sure people know you are allowed in." He turned as James caught her.  
  
He was frowning. "Severus Snape is bad news," he said in a serious tone of voice.  
  
Jess pulled away. "He sure seemed nice to me on the train. Why can't I be friends with a Slytherin?"  
  
James shrugged. "No reason. Just wanted to warn you." 


	2. Revelations

It wasn't long before Jess was best of friends with James, Sirius and Remus, but she did not neglect Severus. On weekends she would go walking with him, meet up in the library, or go to the Slytherin House herself ('Fiddlesticks').   
  
She also spent time with her godfather. Rubeus Hagrid was so pround of his goddaughter, as she received high marks in all her classes, and was earning points left and right for Gryffindor.  
  
After tea one night during her first month, she went back to her dorm and snuck into the rooms of James and Co. Professor McGongall was no fool, and knew about the four of them, but she never said a word, and they soon found a sleeping bag and pillow on a cot in the room. Bursting in, she saw the faces of Sirius and James, but no Remus. "Where...wehere is Remus?" Jess asked, confused.  
  
"Don't know, but for two years now, he dissappears once a month for a day at a time. He seems to scared to tell us." Sirius's hazel eyes dimmed.  
  
James shook his head, the bright blue eyes behind his glasses worried.  
  
Kass looked determined. "He can't hide this from his friends!" she said, indignant. "It is unfair to us and painful to him." She sat thinking about this and gasped. "That's it!" She ran to her calender and pointed. "He's a..."  
=======================================================================  
"Werewolf!"  
  
The next morning after he had not returned, the three friends went to the hospital wing when Madame Pomfrey was busy and saw a horrifying sight. There was Remus, shirtless and covered in bloody bandages. His eyes met theirs then turned away, ashamed. Jess sat gingerly on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Why Remus?" Sirius asked, as he patted his friend's arm.  
  
"What did you hide the truth?" James continued, seeing tears well up in Remus's pale eyes.  
  
He lookd miserable. "Because I know you will hate me." He hugged Jess with his one good arm and sobbed into her shoulder. "I'm a stinking werewolf! We don't have friends!"  
  
Jess looked at the qually shocked expressions on Sirius and James's faces. "Hate you?" Sirius said softly, as he sat beside Jess on the bed. "How can we hate you? You are our friend."  
  
This brought a new wave of tears to Remus's eyes as he tried to hug all three of them at once. Madame Pmfrey came and shooed them out of the hospital wing.  
=======================================================================  
Severus caught up with her, as Jess nodded for Sirius and James to keep walking. "Your friend sick? More like sick in the head."  
  
Jess was furious. "You jerk!" she yelled, and socked him in the arm. "How dare you judge him! He got sick and all you can do is make fun of him!" She turned and ran, sobbing.  
  
Maybe James had been right all along, maybe Severus was bad news. But she felt arms grabbing her and pulling her close to him. "I'm sorry," Sev said with his rough voice. "I'm jealous. All you ever do is hang out with Perfect James and his friends, when you might have been in Slytherin with me."  
  
Jess smiled, no longer angry. "I'm sorry too." She would not tell him Remus's secret, though, ever.  
=======================================================================  
Remus was back and now that they knew, Dumbledore had made them swear their secrecy. Jess was finishing washing the scabs off Remus's stomach as he sat weakly, head in hands. She lightly rebandaged him and helped him lay down.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Remus said in a small voice. Jess hugged him.  
  
"I wouldn't have either," she assured them, as Sirius and James poured over books about werewolves, hoping to find something to help their friend.  
  
James let out a yelp as Sirius stood up quickly and fell over the raven haired Quidditch player.  
  
"Animagus. We'll become Animagus!"  
  
"Are you nuts?" James said. "It takes experienced wizards years!."  
  
"Ani..what? What are you talking about?" Jess asked, cocking her head to the side.  
  
"Animagus. Wizards who can turn into an animal. There are only seven registered right now," James explained. "I don't think they are going to let two punk junior wizards and a junior witch register."  
  
"You and rules, Jamie m'friend. We need not to TELL anyone," Sirius waved his hand. James sighed.  
  
"For Remus." Jess smiled, looking down at her friend.  
  
"Shh...he's asleep." Remus had a smile of happiness on his face.  
=======================================================================  
They spent the year looking through book after book but Jess was determined to have her friendship with Sev last. Every Saturday they had a picnic on the lake, laughing as the giant squid would steal sandwiches. At the Quidditch tryouts before the end of the term, Jess blew everyone way as she socked the Bludger away again and again.  
  
The year was over and they were back on the train. After many hugs at King's Cross, and a shy peck on the cheek from Severus, she joined her parents and went home for the summer. 


	3. Lost and Found Loves

AUTHORS' NOTE: If you are male, and/or squemish to reading about female puberty, don't read the next two chapters.  
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It had been three years since Jess had first hopped on the Hogwarts Express, not knowing who (or what) she would meet. After the Sorting, she caught up with Severus. These past years had done much for his confidence - a bit TOO much. The last time he had given her the Slytherin password was....March. "Sev, wait up, you greasy git," she called across the hall.  
  
Severus turned and gave her a thin smile. He turned to his fellow Slytherins. "Hello Jess, was your summer relaxing?"  
  
She nodded, and frowned. "What is your major malfunction?" she snapped back. "You didn't respond to a single owl all summer. Personally, I think you don't really give a damn about our friendship." Her father's height was kicking in, and at the tender age of 14 she was already 5'8, and muscular (though, sadly, flat-chested).  
  
His eyes narrowed and he grabbed her, pulling her into a corner. "Listen to me, Jess. Things are going on that I don't want you to get involved in. Most of the Slytherins hate you, and keep itching to curse you or something, especially after you hit Lucius with the Bludger during the game, then beat him with your club. They hate you."  
  
Jess shook her head. "Falling for peer pressure, hey little Sevvie?" She rolled her eyes. "You know, I'm sick of constantly having to choose between my house and you as my friend. Remmie, James and Sirius have been really accepting that I hang with you, but have always warned me that you were a jerk. They were right. Good-bye, Severus Snape." She strode off, leaving him behind.  
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Jess was depressed for many reasons at the beginning of that year, but that soon changed. She got over Sev and his choice, and became closer and closer to trandforming into a leopard. But then another opportunity came along.  
  
James was staring at something so intently that he did not even realize Sirius was pouring pumpkin juice down his back. Remus and Jess giggled as James finally got a clue and threw his mashed potatoes at Siri.  
  
"What were you looking at, James?" Remus asked, a bit sickly looking. The full moon had been two nights ago and Remus was still expereincing vertigo.  
  
"Her," James's dream filled voice said. "The red-haired goddess."  
  
Jess snorted. "That's Lily Evans." She raised her voice. "Come on James, you told me last year that Lily was *mhugft*!" Jmaes had grabbed her and was covering her mouth, as Remus vainly tried to rescue her and Sirius choked on his dinner. Lily turned towards the Marauders, as James dropped Jess unceremoniously on the ground and Sirius put bunny ears behind the red-faced quidditch player.  
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The days went by as Jess noticed the guys looking at her more weirdly. Confused, she looked in the mirror one day and gasped. Her chest, once flat as a pancake, was starting to grow. For some reason, tears welled up in her eyes. *Damn hormones* she thought tearfully.  
  
The door opened and a girl walked in. "Are you ok?" Lily Evans asked.  
  
Jess had no idea what to say or how to explain what she felt, but tried. "I'm becoming a girl! They won't wnat to hang around a girl!"  
  
Lily patted her arm. "Come on, come with me." She lead Jess to her room. "We'll be a bit late but no problem." Digging through her drawers, she pulled out a bra. "Here, put this on. It's a sports bra - it won't bug you when yo play Quidditch. I suggest picking a few up on your next trip to Hogsmede."  
  
Jessies's eyes were full of gratitude. "Thank you," she said as she hugged the girl.  
  
"No problem. Just help me by giving me the dirt on James and why he keeps staring at me."  
  
"He likes you - a lot. Remmie said if we have to listen to one more love poem we are tossing him out the window," Jess said frankyl, adjusting to the new tightness in her chest.  
  
Lily laughed. "Poor baby. I better flirt mindlessly with him over dinner."  
=======================================================================  
Jess could not even meet the eyes of her friends all day. Remus kept trying to get her attention and Sirius kept hitting her with bits of parchment rolled onto balls. Dinner was the one time she could relax. Lily was all over James, touching his arm and back, giggling at everything he said. About three quarters of the way through dinner, James got up and ran out of the dining hall, robes being held out far in front of him. Lily and Jess laughed til tears streamed down their faces.  
  
Bck at Gryffindor tower, Jess entered her dorm that she shared with two other girls, currently empty, as all three were dating boys from Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Suddenly the door shut behind her and she heard the lock click.  
  
Turning aroundm James Potter came slwoly into view. "Hello, Jess. Thought it would be fun to tease me now, didn't you? Thought having Lily tease me over dinner would be a thrill huh?" He edged closer, a vindictive look in his eye. Suddenly his face broke into a grin and he hugged her tightly. "You are the BEST friend I ever had! I think she really likes me!" He twirled Jess around.  
  
"That's...nice, Jamie," Jess gasped. "Please...put me..down...HELP!"  
  
The door came crashing open. "Don't kil her James!" Remus tackled him as Sirius pulled her to safety. "It was..Sirius's idea!"  
  
"No...it's...ok...Remmie." Jessie's glassed-over eyes came back into focus. "That was a happy hug."  
  
Remus rolled his eyes. "Yes, kill her whydontya?" he muttered. "Geez, if that's how you show gratitude, what's gonna happen when I save your life. You going to stab me to death?" 


	4. Maps and Growing Up

Lily and James's relationship grew, as they spent Hogsmede visits together (followed by three whistling and cat-calling disembodied voices). James still had time for his friends, though. One night after escaping the horrible poetry of James, ('Lily, my lily/Hair as bright as the sun/First time I saw you/I knew you were the one') and the pillowfight after, she snuck into her rrom. *Time to practice shifting.* An hour passed and she felt different, and went to bed confused.  
  
"AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Leopard!!!!!!!! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!" The shrieks of her roommates awoke her as three terrified girls looked at her. She opened one eye and they ran, leaving behind a very confused Jess. Streatching, she got up and looked in a mirror. There was a sleek leopard there, mahogany brown with black shadowing.  
  
*I did it! I finally bloody did it! Time to have fun* she thought, leaving the open door. With but a single swipe she got the door to the boy's room open. There was Remus, curled up in a ball as usual.James was half off his bed, drooling and muttering 'Lily, Lily.' Sirius had his sheets tangled about his legs, and proved to be the best target. His shriek made James fall off the bed and Remus about hit the ceiling. All three looked with terrified eyes, and with concentration, Jessie bacame human again.  
  
She roared with laughter. "You should have SEEN your face Sirius. 'Help me, oh God, help me!'" He glared and grabbed her, knocking her over, then blushing.  
  
"What, what is it?" she asked, standing up.  
  
"Nice butt," Remus said helpfully, pointing.  
  
"Now how can you see..oh," Jessie said, grabbing the sheet. She was covered, but not very modestly, in her sports bra and shorts that left little to the imagaination. Grabbing a pair of James's jeans and Remus's flannel shirt, she pulled them over her head. "Thank Merlin it is a Saturday."  
  
Leaving the dorm, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid was pushing into the room. "Where is the leopard, Ms. Ramon? It was seen in your dorm."  
  
"Don't know," she said nochalantly. "I was up early dipping Sirius's hand in warm water."  
  
"Oh." The porfessor seemed shocked but nodded. "Be careful you four."  
  
"We will. If Sirius sees it, he will shriek loud enough for all to hear." Laughing, Jessie darted out of Siri's way as he tried to smack her.  
=======================================================================  
Jessie's success helped James turn into a stag only three days later, but it took another week for Sirius to become a huge black dog. But Jessie was having other problems. Suddenly, Remmie, Sirius and James were becoming awfully attractive, and she soon found her skin covered in goosebumps when they touched her. She awoke one morning to find blood on her sheets,, and the understanding Lily explained how to change pads to her.   
  
These shifting hormones were not doing too good on her friends, as one second she would burst into tears and the next be laughing again. Her father about died when he found out his little girl was growing up, and her mother sent her small potions she could make to prevent pregnancy 'just in case.'  
  
Remus's next transformation was coming up in a few weeks and all three wanted to be there. They knew how impossible it would be to just sneak out, until james came up with an idea. "In 'History of Magic' I read about a map that showed a person how to discover a treasure, and keep away from the others in their group. It had dots with all the pirates's names and where they were!"  
  
"Great idea," Remus nodded. taking a piece of parchment and "Hogwarts: A History" they were able to draw a multi level map of the school. Three days of classes later the professors all existed as dots on the map. "This map will get better as we find more passages. There has to be." Sirius said. Jessie nodded.  
  
"Now we need to find a way to hide it, so if someone comes across it it will be blank."  
  
Remus jumped in. "But someone might wonder what it is. How about if someone gives the wrong password it insults them!"  
  
James was laughing. "Great idea! But what we need now are nicknames - something that we can use to refer to each other that no one else knows."  
  
"I know what I am calling Remus," Jessie said. "Moony."  
  
Remus laughed. "I love it. James, as a stag, you have to be...Prongs!"  
  
All four of them were into it. "Ok then - Sirius, you will be..hmm, what do we call a dog? A physical feature, well your feet...Padfoot!"  
  
"Great, SIRIUS is choosing my name?" Jessie sighed.  
  
He looked at her intently. "Let's see...Sneaky? No...Stealth? Spots? Hmm, physical, physical. Hey, your eyes glow in the dark...how about Bright Eyes?"  
  
"I hate to admit it, but I like it." Jess had a smile on her face.  
=======================================================================  
The full moon came and Remus was smuggled out of the castle. The three other Marauders hid under James's invisibility cloak until they were outside. "Map worked perfectly," James said. He shrugged out of it, changing.  
  
Sirius looked at Jessie. "You wanna poke the tree?"  
  
"Why not?" She grabbed a long stick as Sirius changed. The tree was confused at the walking stick and did not move as Jessie froze it. Becoming her leopard self, her mind mushed out slightly and she followed her friends to the Shrieking Shack underground.  
  
When they arrived it was a horrific sight. Blood spattered everywhere as Remus clawed himself and bit his leg, leaving an open wound. Jessie bounded over and whapped him. He growled, but then sat and whined. Sirius barked, and encouraged Everyone to follow him. James walked behind Remus.  
  
The four had never seen Hogwarts like they were seeing it now. They found three new passageways, James carefully remembering them. Remus was bounding along with them like a puppy, and a swipe from Jessie or a growl from Sirius kept him in line. The dawn soon broke as the three Animagi changed back to human form and snuck into the school.  
  
Jessie had a hard time keeping awake. In Transfiguartion, she soon found her backpack turned into a snake and scared her awake. James and Sirius were not much better, though James did work on the map some more. He snagged her after dinner. "Got a password now," he mumbled, as Sirius joined up. Pulling out his wand he tapped the parchment and stated, "I solomnley swear I am up to no good."  
  
The map came to life before Jessie's eyes. Sirius grinned. "How do you erase it, Jamie boy?"  
  
"Like this: Mischief manged!" The map dissappeared. "Great, huh?"  
  
"Perfect. Now about Remus's insulting idea...?"  
  
"Working on it."  
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When Remus returned the next day, he was thrilled with the map. James handed it to Sirius. "Give it the wrong password. Demnad that it shows itself."  
  
Sirius took a breath and got his wand. "I, Sirius Black, demand you tell me your secrets."  
  
Lettering appeared on the page.  
  
'Mr. Prongs thinks Sirius Black ought to spend more time studying and less time looking down girls's shirts.'  
  
Jessie laughed at Sirius's expression. "Wait," James said.  
  
'Mr. Padfoot is amazed that Sirius Black is even able to read this, the slacker.'  
  
"Great, so I am insulting myself now?" Sirius muttered.  
  
"It is a randomizer spell," James explained. More words had appeared.  
  
'Ms. Bright Eyes would like to thank Sirius Black for bringing women liberation back a hundred yeats, the chauvenist pig.'  
  
'Mr. Moony would like to thank Sirius Black for being a dumb enough git to think women like him and advises him to get therapy.'  
  
The Marauders were in hysterics, except for Sirius. "You are so mean!" he pouted. 


	5. Discovery and Betrayal

Jessie's fith year. She was excited and stressed at the same time, taking her O.W.L.'s and everything else. She sat with her Marauders. laughing about the jokes they had pulled over the years. But somethng was different.  
  
"I think someone is eavesdropping," Sirius said casually, and pointed his wand at the door. It opened, spilling Severus Snape onto the floor.  
  
Jess stood up, glaring. "What do _you_ want?" she demanded.  
  
His eyes looked into hers, burning a hole through her soul. "I want to talk to you."  
  
Jess looked at James, Sirius and Remus. "Out, now."  
  
"But Jess..." James protested.  
  
"Out out out," she pushed Remus out the door. "I'll call you back in a few. whenever I have made Snape beg me to kill him."  
  
The Marauders grumbled as they left. Jess sat down, as Seberus sat beside her. "Jess...Jessica, I would like to apologize about what had happened. I was a jerk, I know that now." The young man, who usually was confident and arrogant in appearence looked lost...and were those tears in his eyes?  
  
"I messed up big time, and I don't think you will ever forgive me, but I have to do this at least once." He leaned over and kissed her.  
  
Jessie had been kissed lots of times - her first time, she and Remmie had been out by the lake, as James and Sirius did detention, when both admitted to each other that neither had ever kissed anyone. The seoncd time, she and James were forced under the mistletoe, and did the dramatic and long kiss, until the professors broke them up. Then there was her brief fling with Sirius, where both thought they were madly in love with each other, except it had been James drugging their pumpkin juice.  
  
But no kiss had ever felt this desperate before. Half of her wanted to smakc him, but the other half took over and returned his kiss. She pulled away. "Darn it all to heck!" she cried.  
  
"I liked it too," Severus replied.  
  
"Shut up. Damn you. Why did you have to go and do that?"  
  
"Because...I like you. I like you a lot. I've liked you for a very long time. That's why I stopped letting you come to my dorm. I was afraid for your safety." Severus blushed.  
  
Jess blushed too. "I...I kinda like you too," she muttered. "But that doesn't forgive what you did to me."  
  
He leaned his face close to hers. "I know."  
=======================================================================  
"They've been in there for an hour. We gotta do SOMETHING," Sirius cried. They had been with a few of the fifth years, including Peter Pettigrew, the Marauder's personal devotee, as well as Lily and her friends.  
  
"Let's go check on her," Lily told them. The four got up and opened the door, and walked down the train. Openeing the door to the compartment that held Jess, James gasped, Sirius cussed, Remus grinned and Lily laughed.  
  
"What the HELL you you think you are doing?" Sirius roared, as Jess and Severus broke their kiss.  
  
"making out. Why, I thought you knew about such actions," Jess said calmly, as both Remmie and Lily were in hysterics. Jess stood up with Severus. "Now are you going to join us, or leave us be?"  
  
"Join you. I don't trust that...that snake!" James yelled. Lily cuffed him.  
  
"Come on now, let's be nice."  
=======================================================================  
Jess and Severus could have been voted 'cutest couple.' The two were seen together constantly but Jess spent time with her fellow Gryffindors every evening.  
  
The faithful night that would prove whether or not this love could last. It was an unsually warm March evening. Remus had been smuggled away, and Jess was spening a few more minutes with Severus before she transformed herself. There was a knock on the wall as Jessie's eyes met Sirius's.  
  
"Hullo, ready to help me with my homeowrk?" Sirius asked, eyes twinkling.  
  
"Yea, sorry Siri. Sev, I promised."  
  
"All right," he gave her a kiss as she bounded off. Turning, he noticed the boy was still there. "What you you want, Black?"  
  
Sirius grew serious. "Severus, I would like to apologize for being such a jerk. We all should be more accepting, especially since you ARE dating our best friend." He flashed a smile that Severus could not help but return. "To prove my friendship, I'll let you in on a secret. Wonder why Remus dissapears now and then?"  
  
Severus HAD wondered, but it had not been his business. "So...?" he asked warily.  
  
"Go to the Whomping Willow at midnight, and take a long stick. poke the knoll on the north side and it will freeze the tree. There is a passage underneath. Follow it. See you there. Sirius strode off, whistling, as Severus dashed to his dorms.  
  
A shadow on the wall said, "Oh no..."  
=======================================================================  
James was conflicted. Should he tell Severus? That was the right thing to do. But what was wrong with scaring him a bit. Merlin knew he could use a few rungs off his confidence ladder. Deciding to follow the joke, he returned to his dorm.  
  
Jess had gone out early, and was keeping Remus company before his transformation. He absentmindedly patted her head, as his eyes bacame golden. In a few more minutes he was a wolf, playfully chasing Jess.  
  
Sirius joined them a few minutes later, tackling Jess. Remus gave a cocked-ear that asked 'where's James?' as Sirius gave back a head turn that explained, 'right behind.'  
  
Severus had grabbed a stick and had poked the Whomping Willow. His curiousity led him down the hole, and halfway through the passage.   
  
James saw him and dived down the passage after him, tackling him and pinning hm down. "Don't go!"  
  
Severus wiggled out of his grip. "Why? What are you hiding?"  
  
Remus let out a growl, signaling that someone down there didn't belong. Before Jess or Sirius could do anything, Remus had bounded down the passage...  
  
"Oh, god, help!" Severus saw the wolf come towards him. he could spot a werewolf miles away.  
  
"Run you idiot, run!" James shoved him up back through the hole as Jess landed firmly on Remus, to stop his pursiut.  
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The next few days were a mix of feelings. Jess was furious at Sirius, and at James for not telling Severus away sooner. Remus was miserable, in tears most of the time, with Jess comforting him, as he too was mad at James and Sirius.  
  
Severus had been told the truth by Professor Dumbledore, and had been sworn to secrecy. He met up with Jess three nights after the incident.  
  
"Jess, we need to talk." Severus's eyes were blank but wet, as if he was trying to hold back tears. She nodded and led him into an empty classroom, locking the door.  
  
"What is it?" Jess was worried. He had not talked to her since that night, and she was sure that he blamed her as well.  
  
"I know that you had no involvement - James told me that Sirius planned this himself. Remus knew nothing either. I'm not mad at you." His words seemed forced, as if he was unable to speak.  
  
Jess gave him a wavering smile, then a hug. Severus lost it as he buried his face into her shoulder and sobbed. She was bewildered, as Sev never showed raw human emotion like this. He took her by the shoulders and held her at arm's length.  
  
"We need to break up."  
  
"Why?" Jess was full of anguish. "I thought you didn't blame me!"  
  
"I don't." His voice was but a whisper now. "I am breaking up with you because I care for you. I might even love you, under there." A half-grin faltered on his face. "But I have to let you go. They are your truest friends. You need them more than you need me, and they need you too. Good-bye, Jessica Ramon." He gave her one last kiss and left her life forever.  
=======================================================================  
Jess never really recovered that year. Sirius and her were on limited speaking terms. ans she and James weren't that much better. She found her comfort in Remus's arms, as the two of them became closer to each other than James and Sirius ever had. Lily helped, as did Hagrid. By the end of the year her meetings with Sirius and James were less stressed, and by the time her sixth year started, they were almsot back to normal.  
  
Jess tried to ignore Severus that year, and he did his best to avoid her. At graduation she cheered loudly for her friends. She spent the next year alone, but found solace in the forest, meeting up with a young chestnut centaur named Darien, and soon having midnight meetings with him.  
  
At her graduation she was surprised and pleased to see Sirius, Remus, and the newly engaged Lily and James. As she was collecting the last of her things, she was stopped by someone. Severus.  
  
'Congradulations." His tone was dead. She looked at him curiously, before hugging him. He groaned softly and returned her hug.   
  
"I missed you, but I was right," he said softly. "I feel...right now. More complete. As long as we can be friends again. I will never forget Sirius from trying to kill me, James for not telling me until it was almost too late, nor Remus for trying to kill me, however." She smiled back.  
  
"Nor would I want you to, Sev. I don't have to like your friends and you don't have to like mine. By the way, where have you been?"  
  
"Working for a wizard." His tone faltered. He looked her in the eyes. "Please, beware. When I send you warnings, abide by them, don't fall into a trap like I did." He strode off leaving a wondering Jess. 


	6. Epilogue - Memories

Her party was unlike any other. James managed to get Sirius drunk enough to strip before Jessie's mother came down and almost had a heart attack. Lily asked Jess to be her Maid of Honor.  
  
In a few weeks she had gained a job in America, as a muggle cop/American Ministry of Magic secret agent. She helped the police bag many a magical criminal.   
  
Jess looks back often at what became of her friends. James and Lily dead because of little Peter Pettigrew, Sirius in prision, and she one of the few who believed in his innocence. Remus, constantly loosing job after job, until Severus betrayed his secret.  
  
Severus. She was even more glad they had broken up, after what he did to betray so many wizards as Voldemort's servant. He redeemed himself in full, but if they had been lovers, she would have lost his friendship permenently. With Voldemort back, she was on guard, her memories having to be put aside for later....  
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***The End**  
  
Hey, I might write a sequel and hook Jess up with one of 'da boys.' What do ya think? :D 


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